1785
This letter is to be transmitted through certain trusted parties to all surviving Illuminati at my death.
To those who once held the title of Illuminatus:
While the Order may have died so recently, we must refound it, to balance the powers in the world if for no other reason. I have been contacted by another secret society that claims to be far older than us. Their views are frightening, and they have had no opposition for nearly a millenium; I believe that it is our Illuminist duty to stop them.
The contact has been done with notes that find their ways to me in the hands of random nobodies who in turn take my replies. They share our love of peace and prosperity, but only because it is the most convenient situation for their purposes. To explain I will tell what little I know of their history.
In around 850 AD a monastery on the Frankish coast of the North Sea was attacked by Vikings, but the abbot was a ruthless man, who managed to take most of the savages hostage. When he noticed their blades were of an unknown make he asked them; and they spoke of explorations far to the East, where the metal was made to be tough yet flexible. One of the party was a former smith of these eastern forges who had been taken as a slave, and the abbot made the wise investment of buying him. This began a series of nefarious trades in which the abbot made weapons for hundreds of vikings out of crucible steel.
Over the years this led to the creation of what calls itself the Ulfberht Trust, allegedly named for the abbot. They grew in power throughout Europe, and spread to the Middle East. They played both sides of the Crusades for profit, and infiltrated many Papacies and Caliphates. Even now they are based in the current Moorish Empire, and claim to have plans for every corner of the New World. I fear this Trust so greatly because in it I see every corruption I ever found between the clergy and monarchy multiplied tenfold. This menace has had a head start of nine hundred and thirty years on us, but I have plans to supplant it.
We must continue with our quest to proliferate pure truth and make virtue victorious but in a new place. As I write the newborn nation which calls itself the United States of America is still young enough that we will have equal footing there. Add to that the fact that many of their honorable leaders are fellow Masons who have written praise for the Order and we shall have every potential to gain power there. In a century, maybe two we will have the power to attack the Trust, though I hope that we will be able to come to a more peaceable agreement.
-Carpe lucem!
Brother Spartacus
This letter was given to Duke Ernest of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg by Adam Weishaupt to send to all former Illuminati who had remained loyal to the cause. Before that happened Weishaupt was found dead of sword wounds in an alley. Considering the contents of the letter this is disturbing and frightening as well as saddening, God rest his soul.
-Ernest II